Foundry sand conditioning apparatus



Oct. 4, 1938. F. B. HENRY FOUNDRY SAND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 5, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 4, 1938. F. B. HENRY FOUNDRY SAND CONDITIONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1954 VENTOPI H60 5. Henry,

A TT'Y Oct. 4, 1938. F, a HENRY 2,132,163

FOUNDRY SAND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Patented Oct. 4, K I I UNITED STATES PATaN'l" OFFICE FOUNDRY SAND CONDITIONWG: APPA- BATUS Fred B. I ienry, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Johnny Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Dhio Application ottom- 5, 1934, Serial No. wine a 01m. (Cl. ez-eel My invention relates to portable foundry Sand materials as pieces or mete-Lot various shapes conditioning apparatus adapted for use in small and sizes, cahed lumps of sand, refuse, etc., and foundries or in foundries where complete- 0011- moreover a pile of used foundry sand on the ditioningplants of the stationary'type are not foundry floor may be wet ununiformly at the 5 used, and one of the objects of the invention bottom and therefore not in condition for use- 5 is the provision of improved and emcient apuntil after having been mixed and aerated. paratus for screening the foreign material from When the material from such pile is shoveled' used foundry sand and aerating the screened into the hopper is while the apparatus shown sand for reuse in foundry work. in Fig. 4 is being operated, the foreign mate- Another object of the invention is the provi-= rial will be transferred continuously to the chute m sion of improved apparatus for separating 'cerit, and the usable foundry sand will be directed tain materials and directing the same to convento theeiector mechanism for aerating and mixv lent locations for emcient handling. ing the sand and throwing it along the chute A further object of the invention is the pro 22 outirom the rear end of the machine into vision of improved ejector and discharge mecha windrow or pile spaced from the machine. 315 anisln combined with means for directing granu- The hopper i9 is mounted on a supplemental lar material thereto. frame 28 which in turn is mounted on the main Other objects of the invention will appear frame 8 so as to be universally tiltabie relahereinafter, the novel features and combinations tively thereto. Preferably. two pairs of spacedbeing set forth in the appended claims. apart springs 2d, 226 are mounted on opposite go In the accompanying drawings, sides of the supplemental frame 23. Each of Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved portable the springs it maybe retained in place by means foundry sand conditioning apparatus; ofthe structure shown in Fig. 7. An inverted Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure showncup-shaped bracket is bolted at 26 to the 25 in i 1; inner Wall of the supplemental frame plate is 5 Fig. 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in position for the hollow boss 2? to project into in the upper end of the spring it A horizontal Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional bracket 8' prolects in from one of the elevati0n of the portable outfit shown in Figs. 1 sides of the frame ii in position to receive the g and 2, taken on the line ii of Fig. 3, looming lower end of the spring 26. The head 28 of a 30 in the direction of the arrows; bolt 29 may he used as a retaining boss for the Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken lower end of the spring 26. The lower edges on the line 55 of Fig. 1, looking in the direcof the cup-shaped brackets 25 are spaced suflition of the arrows; ciently above the bracket plates 8' to permit" $5 Fig. 6 isa plan view taken on the line H universal tilting of the supplemental frame 23 of Fi 5 to show the shape of the flights oi the relatively to the main frame 8. ejector mechanism; an .Secured to the supplemental frame 23 is a Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a hopper i583 located below the screen 3i. In order portion of Fig. 4, taken on the line l-i, looking to reinforce the screen and keep the same from in the direction of the arrows. sagging a longitudinal bar 32 may be-s'e'cured at 40 Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it will be its ends to the upper ends of the hopper 30 seenihat the portable Sand conditioning appamidway between the sides of the-screen 3i, as ratus comprises a vehicle having the main frame shown in Fig. 5. a mounted on the rear wheels 9. t and the front Welded to the inner side walls of the hopper e5 steering wheel it. .fI'he single front wheel. l8 it; are abutment plates 33, 33 as shown in Figs.

is mounted on a frame it having a vertical 4 and 5. Longitudinal rods 34, 34 welded to the steering post 52 with a redu ed port on it iourlongitudinal edges of the screen 3| may be 10 naled in the front bearing M3 at the front end eated'on the horizontal edges 35, 35 of those of the main fram t. protecting ca py portions so, to of the hopper so which are 15 may be rigidly c n te to th frame M located at the sides of the supplemental frame 23.

and the stee P as shown in Retaining plates 38,36 are provided at their A drawbar 6 p vot d at H to the steering post lower edges with beveled extensions 31, 31 which i2 is p e at the frontend h a c i are adapted to engage the rods 34, a4. Bolts handle W, as S own in Figs- 1 and v 38. 38 may be relied on to secure the retaining 55 Used foundry sand may contain such foreign plates 38 with their upper edges in engagement 55 beveled extensions 31 in engagement with the tate in clockwise directions, as viewed in Fig. 4.

rods 34, thereby not only securing the screen 3| in connection with the supplemental frame 23 but also holding said screen under lateral tension. The longitudinal central bar 32 cooperates with the lateral edge supports to maintain the screen 3| in a horizontal'plane during operation.

In order to effect such vibration of the screen 3| as to transfer foreign material or unscreened material rearwardly along the screen 3| to the transverse chute 29, I have provided gyratory vibrating mechanism for th supplemental frame 23.

By referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that upper bearing blocks 39, 39 and lower bearing blocks 46, 46 are rigidly secured to' the main frame 8 at the sides thereof. Journaled by means of the ball bearings 4|, 4| in the fixed bearing blocks 39, 39 are the reduced end portions 42, 42 of the transverse shaft 43. At the inner ends of the reduced extensions 42 are eccentrics 44, 44 which are journaled by means of the ball bearings 45, 45 in the ends of thetubular transverse housing 46, the ends of which are rigidly secured to the side walls of the hopper I9 and to the side walls of the supplemental frame 23'.

At the inner ends of the reduced extensions 42 adjacent to the eccentrics 44 are keyed the fly wheels 41, 41 to rotate with the shaft 43. Weights 4B, 49 may be detachably connected by means of bolts 56, 5| to either or both of the fly wheels 41 and these weights may be so arranged as to counterbalance the throw or momentum of the supplemental frame and the screen thereon, relatively to the main frame, and thereby lessen the vibration of the main frame 8.

Spaced below the transverse shaft 43, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is a transverse shaft 52, the ends of which are journaled by means of the ball bearings 53, 53 in the bearing blocks 46, 40.

Keyed to the shaft 52 intermediate the ends thereof are two spiders 54, 54 each having a pair of radial arms 55, 56 to the outer ends of which are detachably connectedby means of the bolts 51, 58 the flights 59 and '66, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

' Mounted at the upper rear portion of the main frame 8 is an electric motor 6|, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. Mounted at the outer end of the armature shaft 62 is a pulley 63 adapted to drive a belt 64 which is in engagement with the V-shaped grooves 65' and 66' of the pulleys 65 and 66 which are respectively secured to the shafts'43 and 52, as shown in Fig. 5. The pulleys ,63, 65 and 66 may be protected by the covering casings 61 and 68. The fly wheels 41, 41 may be provided with the canopies 69, 69.

Lubricating connections for the ball bearings 45, 45 may be provided as indicated at 16, 10. Likewise, lubricating connections may be provided for the ball bearings 4|, 4| as indicated at 1|, 1|. Provision may be made for lubricating the ball bearings 53, 53 as indicated at 12, 12. The shafts 43 and 52 may be held against endwise movement as indicated at 13, 13 and 14, 14.

The armature shaft 62 must be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, so that the belt 64 will travel in the direction of the arrows 15, because the shafts 43 and 52 must ro- This is for the reason that the eccentrics 44 must produce a gyratory movement of the, supplemental frame in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby transferring unscreened material or foreign matter rearwardly along the screen 3| to the chute 20. That is to say, by rotating the shaft 43 in the direction of the arrow 16,

as shown in Fig. 4, the eccentrics 44 will vibrate the screen 3| by moving the same upwardlyand rearwardly thereby throwing the foreign matter toward the chute -26 in step by step movements.

The shaft 52 must rotate in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 11 on Fig. 4 so as to engage the material and transfer it by impact along the upwardly and rearwardly inclined discharge passageway which has a closed top ,and

.an open bottom.

The mixture of used sand and foreign matter which is shoveled into the hopper I9, is prevented by the rear wall 18 thereof from going beyond a position back of a vertical plane extending through the rear portion of the housing 46. It is preferred that the screened material fall on to the housing 46 and the inclined walls of the hopper 36 including the laterally inclined walls 36 shown in Fig. 4. The screened material will thus be compelled to slide from the walls of the hopper into the opening in the bottom thereof and consequently the distance which the screened material falls by gravity will be shortened and its descending velocity decreased. The discharge passageway 22 is in the form of an inverted U- shaped frame or chute detachably bolted at 19 and 86 to the main frame 8. The rotor comprising the spiders 54, 54 and the flights 59, 66, is mounted at the rear end portion of the passageway 22 intermediate the ends of the frame 8 and adjacent to and below the opening 8| through which material is received from the hopper 36. An auxiliary hopper 82 may be mounted on the inverted chute 22, as shown in Fig. 4, not only to direct the screened material into the upper side of the cylindrical path of the flights 59 and 66 but also to intercept the gravity fall of some of the material, thereby decreasing its velocity position shown in Fig. 4. The rotation of the shaft 52 in a clockwise direction as viewed in v Fig. 4 should be atsuch speed as to assure the impacting of substantially all of the material by the flights 59 and 66. However, it is preferred to have the discharge passageway provided with an open bottom so that such material as is not discharged from the rear end of the machine, may fall on to the floor under the frame 8.

Ina much as Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking rearwardly, the trailing face of the flight-59 is viewed in Fig. 5, and

in Fig. 6 is shown to be V-shaped. The leading face 83 is also'V-shaped. When the rotor operates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, the leading face 83 of Fig. 6 moves in the direction of the arrow 84. Since the leading face 83 .of each of the flights 59 and 66 is receding as shown in Fig. 6, or V-shaped when viewed in plan while in its top position, the screened material will receive such impacts as not only to aerate the same but also thoroughly to mix the same during its discharge from the rear end ofv the machine. That is to say, since the impact faces of the flights are in intersecting planes, the material will be thrown along intersecting paths diagonally across the inverted U-shaped chute from opposite sides, thereby thoroughly mixing or blending the screened sand into a homogeneous mixture by the time it reaches the pile of screened and aerated sand back of the machine and distant therefrom. That is to say, not only is the impacted material thrown through the atmosphere in planes extending tangentially from the upper side of the cylindrical path of the flights for the purpose of securing aeration, but the material is also thrown along intersecting paths for securing thorough mixing and blending.

Reverting to the hopper structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the walls 30', 30' may be supported at their lower portions on the housing 46 abutments 85, 85 made integral with the housing 46; these abutments may also serve as spacing and centering abutments for the lower portion of the walls 30', 30".

Inasmuch as the foundry sand conditioning apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings is relatively small, it. may be very readily pulled manually to any desired location in a foundry, and electric connection made at 86 to the motor 6| from any suitable electric power outlet in the foundry, and the motor may be started and stopped by means of the push-button switch 81, shown in Fig. 1. The screen 3| may be readily removed for cleaning or repair or for replacement by a screen of a different mesh. The flights 59 and 60 may be varied in number and each may be removed for repair or replacement. Although the portable conditioning apparatus is particularly adapted to the cleaning and blending of foundry sand, it may have a general application and I therefore prefer to mount the inverted chute 22 for detachment from the frame 8 so that if desired it may be cleaned. In some instances, such as when light material in powdered or desiccated form is to be aerated, the screen 3| may be entirely omitted or replaced by a relatively large mesh screen. It should also be noted that if the screen 3i is omitted and the granulated material will flow with sufficient freedom from the bottom of the hopper 3U, 30', the belt 64 may be replaced by one shorter in length and connected between the pulleys 63 and 66 only, so as'to cut out the pulley 65. That is to say, when it is not necessary or desirable to vibrate the supplemental frame relatively to the main frame, the pulley 65 may be disconnected from the motor so that only the pulley 66 will be driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4. However, as above-explained, when the machine is to be used in foundries for reconditioning used foundry sand, I prefer to combine the separating mechanism with the rotor and rely on the latter for its fan action and impact action to aerate the screened sand and thoroughly mix or blend the same for reuse in future foundry work.

The opening at the rear lower edge of the hopper l9 may be regulated by means of the vertical gate in the form of a bafile plate 88 which may be secured in adjusted position at adjusted elevation by means of bolts, as shown in Fig. 4.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, What I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unitedstates is:

1. In apparatus for conditioning granular material, the combination with a main frame, of an auxiliary frame, a plurality of spaced-apart coil springs for mounting said auxiliary frame on said main frame, a screen on the auxiliary frame to move bodily therewith, a hopper on said auxiliary frame under said screen, mechanism comprising a horizontal transverse shaft for vibrating said auxiliary frame together with said screen in orbital paths to effect conveying of unscreened material over said screen from the front feed end toward the rear end thereof and the depositing of screened material into said hopper, a rotary impeller mounted on the underside of said main frame and comprising a horizontal transverse shaft parallel to said first-named shaft, a motor on said main frame, driving connections between said motor and both of said horizontal shafts to rotate the latter in unison, mechanism for journaling the impeller shaft in said main frame so as to occupy such position under said hopper as to receive screened material falling by gravity from outside the periphery for impact tangentially of the peripheral path of the impeller to throw the material from the top side of the impeller rearwardly from under the main frame and the machine to a position distant therefrom.

2. In a portable machine for conditioning granular material, the combination with a vehicle comprising a frame with one end supported on a steering wheel unit and the other end on spacedapart wheels, of a supplemental frame, a plurality of springs for supporting said supplemental frame on said main frame, a rotary aerator mounted at the lower portion of said main frame for rotation relatively. thereto on -a horizontal transverse axis, mechanism comprising a transverse shaft on said supplementalframe for imparting to the latter a gyratory vibration, a screen on said supplemental frame, means for guiding screened material to said rotary aerator, a motor on said main frame, meansfor driving said shafts in unison from said] motor, an inverted open bottomed U-shaped discharge chute leading from said aerator outwardly from the vehicle frame, and means for driving said aerator with its top rotating toward the rear outer open end of said chute.

3. In apparatus for conditioninggranular material, the combination with a vehicle comprising a wheel supported main frame, of a supplemental frame, a plurality of upright coil springs mounted on said main frame, mechanism on the main frame extending into said springs to prevent the latter from moving laterally, means comprising inverted cups with cylinders in their bottoms extending into the tops of said springs to limit the lateral movement of-said supplemental frame, a'

means for guiding screened material to said rotor aerator, and an inverted open bottomed chute leading from said aerator to guide material rearwardly from the rear end of the machine.

FRED B. HENRY. 

